Notable Characters of ISDE 2021
MIKE JOLLEY AND ROBERT PEARCE
Mike has been our FIM Jury Delegate since 2015 , when Chuck Weir left the AMA . He is the point man at the AMA for everything ISDE-related , and probably spends more time year-round working on the ISDE effort than all the US riders combined do actually racing the event . Robert is an senior official at KTM USA and serves as our backup jury member .
JEFF FREDETTE
AKA “ Mr . ISDE ”, Jeff is an AMA hall of famer who holds the record for most ISDE ’ s ridden : an incredible 34 events with 33 finishes . His final ISDE was in 2014 , but he continues to volunteer each year , offering his unparalled insight into the event .
MARY RINELL // MJSMOTOPHOTOS
Mary , aka MJ , is another of the skilled personnel behind the lens . Mentee of Mark Kariya , Mary is wildly enthusiastic , with more energy than any human I have ever met . Both she and Mark did a stellar job behind the lens . technically required , and want to see their rider succeed . The ISDE is a team effort , both for riders and workers . Every volunteer cares for each rider as though they were their own . Support people attempting to chase riders is difficult and inefficient ; it ’ s challenging even for designated chase riders . Volunteers at checkpoints is a more reliable method , and results in better outcomes for all of the riders .
However , even with the motive and mandate to help , volunteering as a worker still requires sacrifice . In the first five years my parents came to the ISDE with me , they only watched me race once , at the final moto in 2013 . Some jobs have more spectating opportunities than others . However , supporters are called workers and not spectators for a reason .
However , many longtimers don ’ t come over with a specific rider . For them , the motive is less obvious . The ISDE has a way of making you fall in love with it – once you have gone once , there ’ s a desire to stay involved . For some , it ’ s such an ingrained part of their lives that they can ’ t imagine not going every year . It ’ s a labor of love : not always fun , never easy , but incredibly rewarding . For some it ’ s even a family affair , with the children and spouses of dedicated workers getting involved . After years and years of going , the workers all become like family in
ON THE PEGS // PAGE 88